[nc8000]

Still loving these but need a much larger cable due to how my desktop system is set up.

I was looking at some of the cable information and stuck MMCX connectors, so hopefully I can get some advice in regards to which ones to go for without destroying my IEMs.
I see that Lavricables gets some love, but I was also wondering how people felt about Forza audioworks, since I'm using one of those on my Utopias and couldn't be happier.

Any experience with any of those and any info on whether those work properly with the Sonys?

If anyone could tell me about any other long (2m min, 2.5m preferred) obtainable cables that'd be great, I wouldn't be that interested in cables that I can't buy anywhere anymore.

For this you will need one of the bespoke makers (which Lavri and Forza are) as premade iem cables usually always are 1.2m. I’ve never tried Forza but have and have had several Lavri cables, though for my MDR and not the IER

 

[Hinomotocho]

Still loving these but need a much larger cable due to how my desktop system is set up.

I was looking at some of the cable information and stuck MMCX connectors, so hopefully I can get some advice in regards to which ones to go for without destroying my IEMs.
I see that Lavricables gets some love, but I was also wondering how people felt about Forza audioworks, since I'm using one of those on my Utopias and couldn't be happier.

Any experience with any of those and any info on whether those work properly with the Sonys?

If anyone could tell me about any other long (2m min, 2.5m preferred) obtainable cables that'd be great, I wouldn't be that interested in cables that I can't buy anywhere anymore.

Another solution can be a 4.4mm extention cable. Mine is from AliExpress that I got for my MDR-Z1R w/Sony Kimber for movies with my TA-ZH1ES. I haven't used with my IER-Z1R to say if there is a loss of sound quality, but it will avoid any MMCX worries.

 

[Alu]

Another solution can be a 4.4mm extention cable. Mine is from AliExpress that I got for my MDR-Z1R w/Sony Kimber for movies with my TA-ZH1ES. I haven't used with my IER-Z1R to say if there is a loss of sound quality, but it will avoid any MMCX worries.

Interesting option, thanks a lot!
However I think I'd prefer a longer cable - I'm really thinking the Forza 2.5m option, but I am wary about connector woes.
I shot Forza a mail asking about info they have about that, if not I may also ask Lavri about potential issues they may have faced there.

I also had a couple of Lavris in the past, and they've always been amazing as well.

 

[fiascogarcia]

Still loving these but need a much larger cable due to how my desktop system is set up.

I was looking at some of the cable information and stuck MMCX connectors, so hopefully I can get some advice in regards to which ones to go for without destroying my IEMs.
I see that Lavricables gets some love, but I was also wondering how people felt about Forza audioworks, since I'm using one of those on my Utopias and couldn't be happier.

Any experience with any of those and any info on whether those work properly with the Sonys?

If anyone could tell me about any other long (2m min, 2.5m preferred) obtainable cables that'd be great, I wouldn't be that interested in cables that I can't buy anywhere anymore.

PlusSound Audio will make cables in different lengths and a huge variety of metals and hybrids, and also offers the option to select your cable with the proprietary Z1R mmcx connector.

 

[Alu]

Interesting option, thanks a lot!
However I think I'd prefer a longer cable - I'm really thinking the Forza 2.5m option, but I am wary about connector woes.
I shot Forza a mail asking about info they have about that, if not I may also ask Lavri about potential issues they may have faced there.

I also had a couple of Lavris in the past, and they've always been amazing as well.

After a rapid answer from Matt, I decided to go for the Forza 2.5, since I've been pretty happy with multiple cables I got from there, but I'll also get one of these extensions actually.
The more options the merrier - so thanks again!

I won't be swapping cables pretty much ever, as I don't want to use these while walking around, so I think I don't have to worry much about the connectors being stuck.

 

[Heroquetarro10]

What would be the best dongle for these? Right now I’ve got a w2 luxury and precision which sounds great, but the battery drain is a little much on my iPhone

 

[gLer]

What would be the best dongle for these? Right now I’ve got a w2 luxury and precision which sounds great, but the battery drain is a little much on my iPhone

If you like W2 then W4 is a safe bet, and will greatly reduce battery drain too. It has great synergy with Z1R and drives it easily.

 

[Heroquetarro10]

If you like W2 then W4 is a safe bet, and will greatly reduce battery drain too. It has great synergy with Z1R and drives it easily.

Sounds good it was the one I had in mind, just figured I’d get other peoples opinions since it’s probably the most expensive dongle out there right now

 

[Jimmy34]

I think these Dongles will offer higher quality than an 500$ Desktop Device.

Desktop Devices are very complex to develop and manifacture. One of the main reasons is that, unlike dongles, the have a large Power Supply with AC/DC Conversion from 100-240V and so on.

If you look at the FiiO K9 Pro Board



You can see that almos half of the board is just used, to clean the power source. And because it is complex, it is expensive. To only way to save money/make them cheap is to not bulid them complex, but then they will suffer from the unclean power supply. And not just the power supply, this is just one of many aspects. Large Desktop Amps have lots of components that induct noise into the circuit like Bluetooth Receivers, ADCs for COAX and optical and so on.

Its not one single thing, its a sum of things that will result in an very high complexity that will result in an high noise floor.

At a certain point, ther is no way around separating DAC and Amp.

For example if you use a separate DAC+Amp, you can have 6W @ 32 Ohm (3-times of the K9 Pro ESS) with less than <2µV of Noise.

The PCB of an very well implemented DAC is already bigger than the FiiO K9 Pro which is DAC+Amp. The PCB of an good implemented Amp is roughly the same size as the DAC.

This is the S.M.S.L. D400 EX



Its almost the double size of the FiiO K9 Pro ESS and its just a DAC alone.

The more Power you want/need, the more complex is it to handle that power. As soon as wall sockets come into play, you'll spend half of the PCB just cleaning the power from the wall socket. That is why a lot of DAC/AMP like the DMP-Z1 (and others) use an battery array to store the electricity. But thats even more expensive and causes its own set of problems.

So bottom line, if you really really want an desktop setup, invest once and wisely to save yourself from constant upgrades and issues. I am a big fan of buy once and be happy.

Have you ever tried the SHANLING UA5? Seems interesting with the hybrid internal battery mode, the measurements look pretty good too, around the same price as the MOONDROP Moonriver2 TI

 

[psikey]

Why not a BTR7 which can double up dual role wired and BT.

I use it wired with UAPP on Android phone or to my PC.

Can't fault my BTR7 with any of my IEM's.

 

[Heroquetarro10]

Why not a BTR7 which can double up dual role wired and BT.

I use it wired with UAPP on Android phone or to my PC.

Qudelix 5K as-well, it’s what I used before I got the w2 luxury and precision, although the latter sounds better

 

[Jimmy34]

Why not a BTR7 which can double up dual role wired and BT.

I use it wired with UAPP on Android phone or to my PC.

Can't fault my BTR7 with any of my IEM's.

I don't know, compared to these 2 I feel like I'm paying mostly for features I'll never use like BT and wireless ability

 

[DynamicEars]

I don't know, compared to these 2 I feel like I'm paying mostly for features I'll never use like BT and wireless ability

Once you try the BT function with LDAC codec, you may enjoy the portability, enjoying a new way to enjoy movie from phone without dangling dongle pulling down, saving phone battery.

 

[Vamp898]

What would be the best dongle for these? Right now I’ve got a w2 luxury and precision which sounds great, but the battery drain is a little much on my iPhone

iPhones are the worst phones you can get to listen to music. They don't support LDAC, so Bluetooth options are well... not an option.

You can't use cables either because all dongles work like crap on iPhone. There are a lot of dongles that work with both Android and iPhone and all of them have an warning, that its worse on iPhone. They have limited power (sometimes only 10%), drain the battery, most of the times the apps don't work on iOS and so on.

Apple does not care about audiphiles at all but that is the fault of Apple. The makers of the dongles can't do anything about that. Apple doesn't produce any audiophile products, so they dont care if they work with iPhones. You're supposed to buy Airpods, not some other brand that is not Apple.

 

[nc8000]

iPhones are the worst phones you can get to listen to music. They don't support LDAC, so Bluetooth options are well... not an option.

You can't use cables either because all dongles work like crap on iPhone. There are a lot of dongles that work with both Android and iPhone and all of them have an warning, that its worse on iPhone. They have limited power (sometimes only 10%), drain the battery, most of the times the apps don't work on iOS and so on.

Apple does not care about audiphiles at all but that is the fault of Apple. The makers of the dongles can't do anything about that. Apple doesn't produce any audiophile products, so they dont care if they work with iPhones. You're supposed to buy Airpods, not some other brand that is not Apple.

For on the go use in ambient noise aac over BT is plenty good enough at least for me. I have several dongles/adapters, both lightning and usb-c, for my iPhone and iPad Pro and they all work fine but I have no idea if they would work better on an Android device as I have never owned such a device. They all drive the Z1R acceptably but not to it’s best but for serious listening I always use my daps or TA anyway